Cash For Insta Lies

Posted 17th March 2020 by Dave Cross

We Are Women Online is an American marketing agency specialising in putting out “the best content possible”. They are seeking social media ‘influencers’ to spread lies about vaping and tobacco harm reduction. Three anti-vape messages in a six week period will earn the influencers $250.

“There are lots of content strategy and marketing agencies out there, but Women Online prides itself on being different…we’ll care about you as both clients and people,” they say. Unless you vape, because then the money they are receiving from anti-vape billionaire Michael Bloomberg (via Tobacco-free Kids) trumps any care you or the truth was due.

We Are Women Online writes: “Many parents feel in the dark about topics like vaping and the facts are pretty ugly. Big tobacco is aggressively targeting our kids, with tactics like flavoured e-cigarettes (think gummy bear and cotton candy) and colourful Instagram-worthy marketing. The result? Nearly 1,900 kids try their first cigarette every day. (There are lots of other stats, but we’ll just let that one sink in.)”

“The Mission List – Use your influence for good”

“We are thrilled to be working with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids on two of their fast-turnaround, high impact campaigns to rally parents: 1) Take Down Tobacco and 2) Protect Kids: Fight Flavoured E-cigs. Honestly, it’s a double win: you’ll get more informed on the issues at stake AND you’ll use your platform for good.”

To be eligible for this campaign. The influencers must:

“Confirm that you have never taken--and do not plan on taking--tobacco funding of any kind and have never recommended e-cigarettes as a means to quit smoking. (If you have worked with any of these companies and/or brands you are not eligible for this campaign). Please note that this also includes e-cigarette manufacturers, vaping device manufacturers, and e-liquid manufacturers.

Be a parent of kid(s) between the ages of 9-18

Have a minimum of 4,000 followers on the platform you will post on; platform must be public-facing”

A double win that appears to involve spreading ignorance and lies. We Are Women Online either don’t know or don’t care that the majority of brands listed as owned by tobacco companies are independent businesses with absolutely no link to Big Tobacco. Conflating the two is complete nonsense.

We Are Women Online are demanding participants sign an agreement, are prepared to have their posts reviewed, and use the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kidshashtags.

“Please feel free to forward this email to fellow influencer parents of tweens and teens,” they shamelessly add.

Is it possible for the puritanical American anti-tobacco harm reduction movement to sink any lower?